1. How to Create a Hot Dog Mesh

Step 1

Let’s start off by drawing the top bun with Gradient Mesh.

Create an orange rectangle—the color is #CF6822.

Next, grab the Mesh Tool (U). By clicking, create nodes, which in turn create a Mesh Grid. When you have four rows and four columns of mesh, grab the edges of the rectangle and move them to make the shape rounder. It should resemble the top half of a bun.

Once you’re done with the shaping, select the bottom two rows of nodes and color them with #F5CD99.

Finally, color the top two rows of nodes with #A3320E.

Step 2

Finish off drawing the top visible half of the hot dog bun by placing more Mesh nodes and coloring them as in the screenshot below.

Always look for the nodes that are selected in each step and color them with the hex code that is present under each image.

You will need these colors:

#E19843

#F0AF4B

#F6D4AF

#DB9559

Step 3

Begin drawing the bottom part of the bun. Follow the screenshot, as in the previous steps.

#CF6822

–

#A0330F

#EDC089

Step 4

Finish coloring the bun.

#F3BE5E

#F9E3C0

#E2A36A

#8F2609

Step 5

Begin drawing the sausage in the same manner.

#C94D21

–

#89190C

#F9ECE8

Step 6

Add a few more touches.

#D37550

#6D0800

Step 7

Change some colors on the right tip of the sausage.

#A0321A

#881E0E

Step 8

Color some nodes with #BD4E31.

Then, modify the nodes on the right and left tips of the sausage as indicated below.

Step 9

Let’s draw the mustard!

#FBD020

#D6560A

Step 10

To make it wavy, create some more Mesh nodes. Then, select every other column, alternating them, and press the Down key a couple of times, moving the nodes downwards.

Repeat until the image looks like a wavy strip of mustard.

Step 11

Tweak the shape and the colors a bit more.

#D98911

#FFFFFF

Step 12

Now we need some shadows. Draw two shapes and fill them with #5B1B0C and #C94D21, as indicated below.

Place the smaller shape inside the bigger one.

Step 13

Change the Opacity of the big shape to 0%.

Step 14

Next, select both objects and go to Object > Blend > Blend Options. Set the mode to Specified Steps with an amount of 30. Object > Blend > Make to create the shadow.

Step 15

Create a thinner copy of the Blend. Change the Transparency of both objects to Multiply.

Step 16

Place the shadows under both buns.

Step 17

Add the sausage in the back and the mustard strip on top.

Step 18

Let’s draw another shadow! Use #5B1B0C and #FFFFFF.

Step 19

Create another Blend like we just did in Steps 13-14.

Step 20

Place the shadow under the hot dog!

2. How to Create a Texture

Step 1

In this optional section, we will create a texture for the meat in our burger.

You can choose to skip this one, but if you don’t, head over to my autumn tutorial and complete Steps 13-14in the first section.

Select and isolate only the indicated cluster of paths, as indicated in the screenshot below.

Step 2

Clone this particular part until you create a fairly long line.

Step 3

Group (Control-G) these elements, and then change their Transparency to Overlay and Opacity to 50%.

3. How to Draw the Hamburger

Step 1

Begin drawing the top bun with Mesh, just as we did with the hot dog.

#FDCC8D

#933800

#D8883B

Step 2

Continue coloring.

#BC681E

#FFF1C6

#FFBF6A

Step 3

Add some more final touches.

#FFCC82

#7E2403

#E1C5B2

Step 4

Modify the nodes on the bottom edge to give the bun a more realistic look.

Step 5

Draw another Blend shadow, just as we did before in Steps 12-14 of the previous section.

#5B1D07

#AA4B0B

Step 6

Place the shadow under the bun.

Step 7

Draw the first piece of cheese.

–

#FFE885

#CB7B0E

#CC7D10

#FCC94E

Step 8

Finish the cheese.

#FFFBEC

#FEF1B4

#CF7F12

#520300

Step 9

Draw the cucumber.

#437000

#8EA456

#567902

Step 10

Finish the vegetable.

#8BA152

#2C4500

#365900

Step 11

Create two copies of the Mesh side to side. Then, draw a green ellipse representing the top of each cucumber.

Step 12

Place the ingredients under the bun.

Step 13

Draw the tomato.

#D10C07

#FD6853

#690100

Step 14

Finish the tomato.

#3A0000

#FFFFFF

#B90100

Step 15

Add a #A51500 top to the tomato.

Step 16

Begin the second piece of cheese.

#FFE36C

#E59000

#A42B08

Step 17

Color the cheese.

#913B00

#FFFFFF

#FFF49B

Step 18

Draw the meat.

#874115

#340902

#A6591D

Step 19

Finish the meat.

#FFE36C

#E59000

#A42B08

Step 20

If you made the texture before, apply it to the meat.

Step 21

Draw the onion.

#FAF5C8

#3D1506

#FFFFF2

#E9E1AC

#E3CC98

Step 22

Add the ingredients to the burger.

Step 23

Finally, draw the bottom bun.

#FBCE73

#EB9626

#A75C1D

#A0780D

Step 24

Finish the bun.

#945D1B

#F9DC9B

#EB982A

#B5681B

Step 25

Draw the seeds for the bun.

#ECB369

–

#FBEDAC

#FAC781

Step 26

Finish drawing the seeds.

#FDE5A1

#D89748

#C4711E

#E5A75B

Step 27

Add seeds on top of the burger.

Step 28

Grab the shadow we created for the hot dog and place it under the burger!

Awesome Work, You’re Now Done!

Thank you for following along, and please
feel welcome to post your result in the comments. I’ll be looking
forward to seeing it!

In this tutorial, you learned how to
create a pair of fast food items using the Mesh Tool.

I
hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and learned how to use some useful
tools for the future! Check out some of my other vector tutorials on my instructor profile.